Afjan (Qatar)

Afjan (Arabic: عفجان‎) is a village in western Qatar located in the municipality of Al-Shahaniya.[2] The city of Dukhan is to the north.[1]

Afjan عفجان
Village
Afjan Location in Qatar
Coordinates: 25.287582°N 50.873986°E[1]
Country	Qatar
Municipality	Al-Shahaniya
Established	1970

Two main sections define this village: Western Afja and Eastern Afja, the former village being the larger of the two.[3]

Etymology

Afjan is derived from the Arabic "afja", a word used to describe a habitat similar to a sabkha (salt-flat) except for the fact that it is better suited to hosting vegetative life. Three afjas dot this area (from west to east): Afjan Al Gharbi, Afjan Al Wusti, and Afjan Al Sharqi. The village is located within the confines of the latter afja.[1]

History

The village was established in 1970 as a housing area for workers of the Dukhan oil fields. Like Al Zeghain to the north, Bedouins of the Manasir tribe and Bani Hajr tribe formed the bulk of its early inhabitants. Approximately 20 households existed in the village around 1990.[3]

References

1. "Geportal". The Centre for Geographic Information Systems of Qatar. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
2. "Qatar Development Atlas - Part 1" (PDF). Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics. 2010. p. 10. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
3. Fahd Abdul Rahmn Hamad Al-Thani (1992). "The Spatial Impact of the Hydrocarbon Industry on Land and Sea Use in Qatar" (PDF). University of Durham; Durham e-Thesis. p. 149.